Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen halted President Obama’s executive action on immigration. Judge Hanen ruled that the Obama administration did not “comply with the Administrative Procedure Act” which governs how regulations are made and how much input the public has.

While some in Texas and across the country declare this action as some kind of a victory, Hope for Peace and Justice believes the president’s order represented a move toward compassionate and just immigration reform. Judge Haden’s order is a cruel, bullying act of injustice. Read MORE...

The Calling of Our Lifetimes?Todd Whitley, H4PJ Board chair

As a gift to—and an investment in—myself, I attended the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force "Creating Change" conference in Denver last week. The emerging activist that I am marveled at the spectacle of 4,000+ activists in one place at one time. The diversity was inspiring, visible everywhere—through the variety of people of all ages, races, gender expressions, and orientations and in the jam-packed conference schedule. It was hard to choose sessions as I was so interested in so many different areas of our movement.

Faith—and the role of religion—was a significant topic at Creating Change. From a full track of workshops and seminars on being an open and affirming church and welcoming queer people to engaging in the greater conversation of equality for all to discussing strategies around activating people of faith—religion, both as an asset and a weapon in our movement, was a big talking point. Read MORE...

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, age 21, her husband Deah Shaddy Barakat, age 23, and her sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, age 19—three Muslim students of Arab descent who were murdered this week in Chapel Hill, NC.

We also pray for Craig Stephen Hicks, the man arrested for this heinous crime.

All life is sacred and every loss of life in this manner is a tragedy we must all work to prevent.